Day 6: Dallas, Texas

Last day of Texas, and last day of twenty. Holy Moly

I don't remember exactly what time we left. I think I woke up just a little before 11, and then I went and laid out on my other side for about half an hour. I don't think I got any color though. I just can't win. 30 minutes means no color, but 1 hour means burned out of my mind. Grr. Anyway, we packed up, and headed out. We stopped at walmart and got some groceries, but more specifically, I got some aloe vera and vitamin E lotion. I've pretty much been bathing in it all day. It's supposed to keep my tan, which is nice, but it's not particularly soothing. Doesn't really smell all that great either. We'll see if I actually keep the tan. I'm hoping this burn will be tan by tomorrow. It really looks kinda dumb, and it's worse on my left side for some reason. Oh well. I'm hoping I don't peel. My mom doesn't seem to think it looks too bad, so we'll have to see. All this from one hour in the sun. Gee whiz. Sun must be hotter here. And, better than the aloe vera, is the, *drum roll please* avacados!!!!! They were 50 cents a piece! I couldn't believe it! So cheap. So we got a couple, and tomorrow, I'm gonna make me some birthday guacamole. Marvelousssssssss

So after walmart, we made our way over to Dallas. I think it was about 6 hours? I actually didn't sleep at all this trip. I tell you what. I like Texas and all, but I don't think I'd ever move here solely for the reason that the traffic and roads and driving here is just nuts! It was a Thursday afternoon, and there was so much traffic! I watched a couple movies to pass the time. We stopped at a "picnic area" off the side of the road. What a joke! Ha I guess if the only parameters for a picnic area is a picnic table, it fit. It was pretty ridiculous. We had a nice view of the highway congested with crazy Texan drivers, and a haunted hay ride park. Oh we also got to watch a guy pull off and go pee behind a bush. That was nice with my sandwich. Shortly after that, we stopped for gas. I went to go use the bathroom.... it smelled horrible. I think it really might have been the worst smelling bathroom I've ever smelled. Like someone crapped all over the floor or something. So I passed, cuz I thought we were supposed to get to our hotel in like, an hour and a half. That was false. But I made it, lol. Despite the fact that some crazy chick decided to almost kill is by coming into our line exactly where our car was. Little terrifying. Pretty much stopped my heart for a second. But I will live to see 20 : )

We stopped in downtown Dallas, and checked the Kennedy Assassination scene. We looked at the memorial, which was kind of weird, but solemn and quiet at the same time, and then checked out where it actually happened. I learned a lot. It was really sad. I guess it was a lot the same for my mom as Ground zero would be for me. She remembered where she was when she found out, and they actually went out and bought a television when it happened so they could hear what was going on. It was pretty crazy. It made me feel so bad for Jackie Kennedy. That would just be horrible. It was very interesting to see all of that stuff and learn some stuff. After seeing the memorial and the actual place where it happened, we headed to our hotel. We got a little lost, but not past what my phone gps could handle. I really don't know what we would have done this trip without it. I was like map from Dora the Explorer this trip. Except I didn't deliver the directions in threes, or in song. Thank God. I may have punched myself. "Dad, to get to the hotel we need to look for the tree, the rock, and big green fence. Tree, rock, big green fence. Tree, rock, big green fence! Yeah!!!"

We found our hotel, and I guess while my parents were carrying stuff to the room, the guy asked them if we wanted a handicapped room... my mom wasn't sure how to take that. We watched a little basketball, and then went to Cheddars. The elevator here is pretty crazy. It's very abrupt whenever it stops. I felt like I might die. I said that it was like dad's driving. He proceeded to "stick em up" like he wanted to box me in the elevator. It was pretty funny. I guess that's where I get it from : ) So anyways... Cheddars... I don't mean to sound horrible, but there were a ton of black people there. More black than white. It was interesting. We got tortilla chips and artichoke dip for an appetizer and that was wonderful, and then I got chicken tenders. I didn't eat a whole lot of them cuz I had so much artichoke dip, but I think I'll eat it for lunch tomorrow.

We came back to the hotel, and watched a bunch of March Madness. There have been so many upsets this year! My bracket is already a huge mess. Friggen Marquette and Georgetown screwed me over! I should probably just use it as toilet paper. There were some really good games though. I love my family, haha. All of us just laying in our beds, watching basketball, screaming at the TV, and looking sorrowfully at our brackets.

I've gotten a bed back in this room, but the heater/air conditioner here doesn't work, so I don't have the fun noise to drown their snoring out... : ( that and there is no A&E so I can't watch CSI or shows like that. I'm super sad too because they had a Criminal Minds marathon, and I like that show a lot. This could be a rough night. And I think the sink just hissed at me. Now I'm kind of scared...

Tomorrow is a big driving day. About 8 hours it what my mom guesses. Nothing better for your birthday than 8+ hours of driving. However, it does mean I'll get to spend my 20th birthday dinner in downtown Memphis, probably listening to some sweet jazz bands, so that should be pretty cool. Man I really get around for my birthdays. Last year, NYC, this year, Texas, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee. And hopefully MSU will give me a nice birthday present of a win tomorrow. Please, boys, please.

I've already gotten two phonecalls saying happy birthday : ) so that's been nice. I've got some good friends. I'm happy to see 19 go. Teenagerdom, though, not neessarily. I might miss that a little.

Well I'm going to get some shut eye cuz mom wants to head off a little earlier tomorrow.

-Concensus: Texas driving is crazy, and when I first heard we were checking out the JFK assassination memorial, I wasn't like, super excited about it or anything, but it ended up being quite interesting. Also, my bracket is destroyed, and I love March Madness : )

-Movies Watched: How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, and Superstar. Both HILARIOUS

-States Covered: still the same list, but add Austin, Waco, and Dallas, Texas to the mix of cities. Cool beans.

I am sad that this trip is nearing its end. It's been pretty fun getting a taste of American cities, and what they have to offer. It's like a chili cookoff, and I'm the judge. Except I like traveling. I don't like chili much. Well. Happy birthday to me : ) see you from Tennessee. Oh my gosh. I am the freaking map. I just rhymed...